Ståle Solbakken has today moved to clarify a newspaper report suggesting the players have urged him to change his tactics.

A report in a local paper said the manager had called his players in for a debrief yesterday and, amongst many issues, they had responded by questioning the use of zonal marking and why Bakary Sako hasn’t been substituted when feeling tired in recent games.

The boss insists the detail within the report is incorrect, and is keen to set the record straight.

“I am always very honest and open with the media, and have no problem with many stories even if they are critical ones,” said the manager.

“But when I was told about this today, I felt I had to respond.

“We have a team meeting with the players the day after every match, and they are always encouraged to give their views.

“At this meeting I asked them why they felt we have been unable to reproduce our first half performances in the second half of recent matches, and that was the main focus of the meeting.

“We didn’t talk about zonal marking, and Sako’s role in the team as a key player was mentioned, but the question was mainly about why we didn’t start the second half in the same way as the first, because there shouldn’t really be any difference.

“We had an open dialogue, which is normal, and it was nothing to do with a lot of the reasons mentioned in this report.

“As I said after the Millwall game on Tuesday, we are 100 per cent together and that has not changed.

“It is disappointing because I don’t think anything that goes on in a dressing room should be made public, whether the details are correct or incorrect.

“But it will not divert our attention from Saturday’s game against Bristol City.

“We all know results haven’t been good enough recently, but the supporters have been great in staying with us and we are all united in the aim of putting things right starting this weekend.”